Doing It Wrong
by childssplay
Summary: Fic inspired by Felix and Adrien being brothers AU. Marinette starts off as ladybug with Felix as her partner, but as time passes and circumstances change, Felix has to give up the miraculous and his powers. However, his younger brother Adrien assumes the role of chat noir, and meets his new partner, Ladybug.
1. Prologue

She was thirteen when she found the little black box. Back then she was shy and clumsy - she couldn't even tell her left foot from her right - much less understand why they had chosen her to be the guardian of Paris. ' _Chosen_ ' as her new companion, Tikki, had said. She listened to the reassurance of the little god, and donned the pair of earrings in the box.

Along with them came a boy in a black leather suit, with eyes grey as steel and the power of destruction.

He watched her from the shadows at first.

He observed as she awkwardly stumbled and fell the first couple of times she went out in her suit, not being able to get the hang of the yo-yo, and even getting tangled up in the strings a couple of times. She had no coordination or control of her body whatsoever, and even worse, she looked to be at least three years younger than him. He argued heatedly with his kwami, plagg, at night, about her being chosen to be his partner.

He was more than capable of keeping Paris safe on his own. He didn't need anyone holding him back, nor did he have time to be babysitting a little girl who wasn't even capable of standing on her own two feet.

What was the point of giving him the power of destruction when his partner could do just as much without any miraculous, if not more?

After about a week of watching her wreak havoc during Paris' nightlife, he intercepted one night just as her foot had snagged on the border of a rooftop of a building - almost causing her to fall off - but instead being grabbed around the waist and held back by his arm.

"You need training." Were the first words to come out of the strangers lips as Marinette turned around to see who had caught her.

Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest, and heat spread from the pit of her stomach to the areas on her cheeks.

He was tall, and fairly lanky except for the bit of muscle that was completely outlined by the leather black catsuit that covered him from head to toe. Shaggy blond hair covered most of his face, except his cold grey stare, and the frown marring his lips. His jaw was clenched as well as the fists that were now at his sides instead of her waist.

"Who are you?" She asked, ignoring his previous remark and feeling slightly overwhelmed under his scrutiny.

He stared at her in a silence that made her feel like he was almost... disappointed by her - which seemed pretty impossible since they had just met.

"Felix." His answer was short and his tone was clipped.

 _Felix_ , she repeated in her head, looking up in awe at the boy that towered over her. She ducked her head down shyly, embarrassed at being caught almost falling off a building.

"I'm Marinette." She stated with a slight blush still coating her cheeks.

He looked at her impassively, his grey eyes seeming to darken even more.

"Who gave you the miraculous?" He demanded, his features twitching to scowl at her.

"I - I don't know. It just appeared in my bag one day, and it had no name or return address, so I just opened it and this red thing came out of nowhere and - ,"

Felix's growl interrupted her mid-sentence, his hands fisting in his hair out of frustration.

"Well, great," He grumbled, "You're _my_ problem now."

Marinette thought, _hold up_. She planted her hands on her hips and stood in a stance with her legs spread apart, chin up, and her best no-nonsense face.

"I am not _your_ anything. Least of all your _problem_. If you aren't happy with this, you can just go back to wherever you came from."

Despite her being about a foot shorter than him, the glare she was giving him made him want to take a step back. She was quite a sight, with her tiny hands balled into fists at her sides, her two pigtails bouncing on either side of her head, and her lips twisted into what she probably thought was a scowl but rather looked like a grimace.

Felix was debating whether or not he should do just as she suggested and leave her out there on her own, when a shrill scream sounded from the other direction.

"What's that?" Marinette dropped the bravado. As soon as she heard the scream, goosebumps started spreading across her skin.

"You better be ready for this." Felix warned her, his tone cold as ice, as he grabbed the staff slung across his back.

"Try not get in the way." He said before jumping off the roof, heading towards the direction of the screams.

Marinette glared after him. What was his deal?

"I can do this on my own." She huffed out, grabbing the yo-yo around her waist and following after him.

* * *

No one could have warned Marinette about what she walked into when she put on the earrings. When Tikki said she would be "protecting Paris," she had no idea this was what she would be facing.

She had only gotten there a couple seconds after Felix had, but he was already mid-battle, evading fireballs being thrown at him by a man who was on fire. Literally.

Every part of his body was covered in flames, his face looked blood red, and his eyes black as night. He thrust his hand out as he threw another ball of _fire_ at Felix, who seemed to have no idea what to do since he couldn't get close to the man without getting roasted.

 _You can do this Marinette_ , a voice she learned to recognize as Tikki's chimed in her head. She took a deep breath. Felix doubted her, he considered her a burden, and this would be her chance to prove herself.

Tikki had guided her through this. The man should have an object with him that stood out, and that contained the akuma that was controlling him.

She scrutinized the man. He couldn't have been very old, around twenty or so, and was wearing normal clothing except for what seemed to be a badge on his chest. The colors were red and blue, and the logo seemed familiar... like Paris' fire department.

That must be where the akuma was hidden. Tikki had told her that using her lucky charm would help her obtain the object. However, holding the skateboard her power had granted her, she didn't understand how she would use it to her benefit.

Felix was holding the front on his own. He was quick and agile, seeming to effortlessly evade the akuma's attacks while keeping a distance.

But he couldn't dance around the akuma forever.

She did a quick scan of the area surrounding them and a plan began to form in her mind.

Jumping into the battle zone, she landed right next to Felix in a defensive stance, with the skateboard in her hand.

"Can you find a way to destroy that fire hydrant?" Marinette shouted at Felix, pointing at a fire hydrant located about two meters away from them. Felix looked at her, bewildered.

"What are you doing?" He yelled at her, ducking from another fireball.

"Just trust me!" She pleaded, getting into position to throw the skateboard where she needed it go. Felix grunted at her before leaping up into the air, almost redirecting the akuma's attention if she hadn't shouted, "Hey Hot Stuff! Over here!"

She ran in the opposite direction, causing him to have to move towards her as well. She heard Felix yell " _Cataclysm_!" before seeing a burst of water sprouting from the ground, and the stunned akuma tripping over the skateboard before face planting into the water.

The flames died down around him, and they were able to retrieve the badge. It was the first butterfly she had cleansed, and when everything was restored in Paris, the thing that brought her the most joy was the duped expression on Felix's face.

"Looks like Paris is saved tonight thanks to this _problem_."

She pointed at herself when she emphasized problem, giving Felix a smug look. His lips almost twitched into a smile before he caught himself.

"You weren't bad." He offered. "Maybe you won't be such a problem after all, _problem_."

The smile on her face dropped. If that was going to be her new nickname, she was seriously going to consider throwing herself off a building.

"Didn't your mom ever teach you any manners?" She meant it as a joke, only wanting to tease him, but with the way his body stiffened and the cold look returned in his eyes, she could tell she had hit a spot.

He didn't spare her one last look before leaping on a nearby roof and disappearing into the night.

* * *

Months had passed since their last fight with FlameThrower, as the media called him. Marinette and Felix kept facing new people under the influence of akumas sent by their real opponent, Hawkmoth, as he called himself.

Marinette was really getting the hang of being a superhero. So much that she now had less problems in the suit than out of it.

Her dynamic with Felix hadn't changed much. He still treated her like she was a pest sometimes, despite her working just as hard as he was to save Paris.

Felix was cold and closed off, and he wouldn't let Marinette get close to him. Both physically and emotionally.

She didn't know anything about her partner besides his name and the fact that he didn't know how to smile. That wasn't for lack of trying, though. She had tried to befriend the black cat on more than one occasion, but he would just brush off the attempts as if they were lint on his pants.

Marinette was just feeling so tired, and so lonely. She had all these exciting adventures happening, but no one to share them with. She couldn't tell any of her friends about her superhero alter ego because it was meant to be kept secret, and she couldn't even share the excitement with her partner because he wouldn't let her in for one second.

Sitting on an abandoned rooftop overlooking the beauty of Paris during it's nighttime, Marinette hugged her knees to her chest and felt the weight of the past five months hang on her shoulders. She had all this freedom, and despite it, she felt like she didn't have room to breathe.

There was still doubt lingering in her chest. The akuma victims were starting to get stronger. The first victims had been feeling emotions in small proportions such as jealousy, envy, anger, or sadness that had caused them to become akumatized.

But the victim she had faced last week was a man that had been fueled by so much hatred that she was able to see it when she had looked into his eyes. He had been the strongest one yet, and she had almost passed out after that fight.

Hearing footsteps fall behind her on the roof, she felt as Felix neared the spot where she was sitting. She didn't turn her head to look at him, nor greet him cheerfully as she usually would. She let her thoughts swirl around in her head and chose to ignore him as he sat down beside her on the ledge of the roof.

"Is everything alright?" Felix asked after a couple minutes of silence, his tone missing the usual edge it had to it. Marinette spared him a glance, catching the soft look he was regarding her with.

She looked back down at the city, feeling her eyes start to swell up. She didn't dare speak, lest her voice cracked and he started calling her a cry baby too.

He didn't want to shorten the distance between them anymore, but he could tell something was definitely wrong with the way her shoulders were hunched in on themselves and how she avoided looking at him.

"You can tell me," he encouraged, his voice as soft as he would allow it. "Maybe I can help you solve your problem." He said teasingly.

By now, the nickname had lost any malice it once had to it. Even though he would never admit it out loud, he considered the nickname a term of endearment for the girl he was now actually a little fond of.

Hearing Felix say the joke out loud, caused a few tears to stream down her cheeks. He seemed alarmed at the sight of them. She felt the need to explain as she saw his concerned expression.

"It's just - sometimes I feel like they made the wrong choice by choosing me to be ladybug. I'm not a superhero. I'm clumsy, and awkward, and it's been months and we still haven't got anything on hawkmoth and I feel like I'm disappointing so many people - both as a superhero and as Marinette - I can barely keep up with the two, I cause so many issues to myself and to others, I mean you yourself call me a Problem-,"

She raised her hands to her face in frustration, feeling more tears come out of her eyes as she ranted.

Felix felt his insides churn as he watched her cry into her small hands. He softly placed a hand on her shoulder, not knowing exactly how to comfort her, but not wanting to see her in this state any longer.

"Marinette," he spoke softly - one of the rare times he said her name out loud - causing her to look up at him.

"I don't mean anything by it when I call you problem. I haven't since the first time we met. You're the opposite of a burden to me. I don't know how I could've gone through the last couple of months without you being there with me."

Marinette felt her arms go limp in her lap, and her breathing stopped completely. Felix now avoided her gaze, instead choosing to focus on the city below them.

"You are incredibly brave, and smart, and considerate. You're exactly what a superhero should be and more. And you're just starting off, you're going to get better as time passes, so you don't even have to worry about hawkmoth, because he's sure to get what's coming to him soon enough, and it'll be by _your_ hands. Because you're more than capable of doing it on your own."

She felt the heat of his hand still on her shoulder, she heard the tone of his voice, all soft and almost full of pride, she looked at the way his features softened as he spoke, and it all warmed up her insides, making butterflies swarm around.

"I'm glad you're my partner."

The words hit her right in the chest. She felt like her face was lit on fire by one of FlameThrowers fireballs. She let out a soft squeak as Felix squeezed her shoulder before getting up.

She looked up at him in awe and felt her insides turn to mush as he made to grab the baton across his back and turned around to look at her.

"See you 'round, problem." he said affectionately, making her heart stop as his lips spread apart to reveal glowing white teeth.

Marinette stopped breathing then too, because Felix was smiling at her - _Oh my god, Felix was smiling at her_ \- and, _god_ , it was such a beautiful smile - she was frozen in shock, jaw slack, mouth hung open, cheeks flaming, as Felix leaped off into the night and left Marinette sitting there with her heart now trying to beat out of her chest.

* * *

"I'm leaving Paris."

Marinette must have looked like she just got punched in the stomach, because that's what hearing those words felt like. Felix turned his head to look at her. His eyes were clouded over, looking like dark grey thunderclouds.

"Marinette-", He started again, reaching a hand out to her, but she pushed herself further away from him.

"What do you mean you're leaving Paris?"

This had been the hardest part to consider when Felix was making his decision. Leaving Marinette. If it were up to him, he would always keep her by his side, somewhere he could look after her and keep her safe.

"I have very important business to take care of out of the country. I don't exactly know how long I will be gone."

"You have _important business?_ " Marinette's tone was incredulous. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Felix looked dead serious as he stared directly into her eyes.

"What could be so important that you would have to leave Paris?" She demanded, "It can't be Chat Noir business, otherwise you would have discussed it with me."

One of the first lessons Felix had taught Marinette was to separate her life as Marinette and her life as Ladybug. She could not allow the two to be mixed together, and she absolutely must prioritize ladybug's responsibilities above Marinette's. It was what Paris needed.

But now here he was, telling her that he was leaving her on her own for who knows how long because Felix had "important business" to take care of.

Felix hesitated, turning his head away from her to look at the city below.

"Like I said, I wouldn't even consider leaving if it weren't important."

His voice had a tone of finality that made desperation start clawing it's way down Marinette's throat.

"You're just going to abandon me?" She hated the way her voice cracked in the middle of the sentence and how her eyes started burning at the edges. "How am I going to do this alone? I need my partner, Felix."

"I'm not abandoning you, Marinette. I'm leaving my miraculous behind too," Felix said inching closer to rest a hand on her shoulder. His grey eyes were downcast and so dark tonight that they almost looked sad.

"I know who the next Chat Noir will be, and I wouldn't be leaving you if I didn't trust him." He said reassuringly, squeezing her shoulder.

"Fel, I don't want another partner. _You're_ my partner, you're Chat Noir. Isn't there any way you can avoid having to leave?"

There were so many things she wanted to say. They were all crowding her head, begging to be let out. Mostly _please don't leave, don't leave, don't leave me,_ were repeating over and over in her head. She wanted to beg him to stay, to yell at him for doing this to her. How could he leave after all these years of being partners together? How could he just throw it all away? Didn't he know how much she cared about him? How much she _loved_ him?

"Marinette, I'm going to go find her."

Marinette froze at his words. He spoke them softly, a small smile starting to curve his lips. By the soft look on his face, there was only one person he could be talking about. His mother.

Throughout the last three years, she had only seen that look a handful of times, and it only appeared when he talked about her. With the few times the subject was breached in their conversation, she was able to deduce that his mother had left when he was just a child.

If Marinette had to guess, this was the incident that left Felix so traumatized that he could no longer express his feelings properly. From the few times Felix talked about his family, she also learned that he didn't get on with his father, his home life was unpleasant, and the only thing he cared about in the world was his little brother.

"Do you know where she is?"

Felix scowled at the question.

"I found a clue while I was in my dad's office the other day -"

"While you were snooping you mean -"

"That might lead to her location. I won't say where it is, but I'm starting to think the bastard knew where she was all along and kept it a secret from me."

The way in which Felix spoke about his father depicted exactly how he felt about him. He despised him. And Marinette felt no differently.

"How long do you think it will take?" She asked, hugging her arms around her chest.

"There's no way to know for sure.. but I'm guessing I won't be around for Christmas this year, bug."

Tears welled up in her eyes once again. Throughout these last couple of years, Felix had grown so much. He stopped being the teenage boy who only considered her a burden and put up a cold facade to shield himself from the world. He was a man now, one who had a mission to take on in order to look after his family.

"You and Adrien are the most important things in my life, Marinette. I will come back for both of you. You have my word."

Felix had his hand on her shoulder, and he had this adorable smile on his face which made his eyes crinkle at the corners, and oh my god was it possible for someone to be this adorable?

Marinette squeaked and focused on the other thing that jumped out at her from what he said.

"Adrien?" She asked, the name of what must be his little brother rolling off her lips.

 _Adrien_. It was the first time she had heard his name. Felix smiled fondly at the mention of his brother.

"You have to promise to look out for him while I'm gone. He can be a little reckless."

Marinette could always tell how much Felix loved his little brother by the way he talked about him. In that moment, she made a silent promise to do right by Felix and take care of what remains of his family in Paris while he was gone.

"You guys will get along great. You're both even the same age," Felix said, now nudging her playfully with his elbow, "He actually likes you quite a bit, you know?"

Marinette eyed Felix curiously, seeing a smirk on his lips and a teasing glint in his eyes. What did he mean by _that_?

"Felix," Marinette said quietly, "is this goodbye, then?"

Her heartbeat slowed as her leather-clad partner hummed softly beside her. Her eyes fogged up as tears started to fill them, and she felt his hand softly take her own and thread their fingers together.

"I'll miss you, my little problem," he said quietly, squeezing the hand wrapped in his own and using the other to wipe the tears streaming down ladybug's cheeks.

She took a mental picture of her partner in that moment. Grey eyes soft and liquidy, shaggy long blond hair falling over his face, his cat ears alert on his head, posture hung over as he leaned down to look into her eyes, a blanket of stars behind him in the night sky, but none of them as breathtaking nor shining as bright as the smile on his face.

That night, he held his partner in his arms for the first and last time, as sobs wracked her body, and tears dampened the leather on his chest.


	2. Two Paws In A Pod

Adrien found the little box when he was seventeen. He had woken up early as he normally did every day, and began his normal routine of getting ready for the rest of the very boring, and very _normal_ day. His routine was interrupted however, when he spotted the strange box placed on his desk. It was then that his dad's secretary had come into his room with a worried expression on her face.

"Adrien, Have you seen Felix? Your Father wants to speak with him about the business classes he's refusing to take."

Adrien shook his head. He hadn't seen his brother since last night, after he locked himself up in his room. It wasn't a rare occurance for his older brother to go missing - Felix disappeared so often that Adrien considered it a normal thing by now.

"It's unusual for him to be missing in the mornings," Nathalie said as she let out a sigh, and the worry lines on her forehead creased even more.

"He'll turn up. Don't worry so much, Nathalie." Adrien tried to console her.

"Yes, well, the car is waiting for you outside, Adrien. You have a photoshoot." With that, she left the room, leaving Adrien alone with the little black box.

* * *

Early on in their partnership, Marinette and Felix had come to an agreement about their identities. They would allow each other their first names, on the condition that neither would go on to investigate about the other. Their lives outside of the mask were to be kept separate, and a secret. It was important for their families safety, as well as their own.

Once Felix had mentioned the name of his little brother however, it was hard not to put two and two together. Especially when said brother's face was plastered all over Paris.

She'd wanted to punch herself when she found out that the son of one of the most renown fashion designers and her ultimate _idol,_ was her partner.

Now standing outside of the studio, looking at the billboard above it that promoted Gabriel Agreste's new spring fashion line, Marinette couldn't believe she hadn't figured it out before. Especially from this angle, where if you overlooked the small differences, Adrien could be mistaken for Felix. Or rather, Chat.

Despite the fact that Adrien's eyes were a stunning shade of green, they had the same glint to them as Felix's did. His hair was a little shorter and a more golden, but they had styled it to look like sexy bed head, messy and all over the place - just like Felix's. And the stunning smile stretched over his lips - there was no mistaking it. It almost looked like it was copied and pasted off of Felix's face.

Marinette felt regret tumble in her stomach. Why had she agreed to get close to Felix's little brother?

Of course, at the time she did, she had no idea he would be Gabriel Agreste's son.

And that Felix's brother wasn't actually so little after all.

In fact, looking at his body towering over her in the sky, _little_ would be the absolute last word she would use. Marinette blushed as her eyes roamed over the model's upper body.

Broad shoulders linked to toned arms, biceps flexing as the tight shirt he was wearing did everything to favor the taut muscles in his chest and abdomen, outlining every inch and hard plane.

The Agreste's were very well known in Paris, especially Gabriel's two _gorgeous_ sons. Every girl in the city had at least one if not both brothers glued on their walls. Including Marinette, who's face was now starting to resemble a tomato.

Maybe she wouldn't need to talk to him. She could just keep an eye on him from a distance. As Ladybug.

"Tikki, why did I agree to this?" Marinette groaned out loud to the kwami nestled in her purse.

"It's not so bad, Marinette. Befriending Adrien could be a good thing. It could help you take your mind off of Felix," Tikki encouraged.

In reality, that was one of the reasons she wanted to get to know Adrien as Marinette. She wanted him to one day be able open up to her, possibly even be close to her as a friend. She wanted to keep a close link to Felix through that friendship with Adrien. It would maybe ease the pain she felt because of his absence just a little bit.

"I doubt he would even notice me," Marinette mumbled quietly.

"If he's anything like Felix, you'll get along just fine," Tikki said, trying to comfort Marinette.

"If Adrien is anything like Felix, he'll despise me for months and ignore me before finally learning to barely tolerate me," Marinette grumbled, pushing the doors to the studio open, "but you're right, Tikki. I have nothing to worry about."

Adrien Agreste was absolutely nothing like his older brother.

For starters, he arrived a half hour late to the photoshoot. The photographers were already getting fidgety and the stylists were getting a bit snappy with the interns, which Marinette suspected was just in order to pass the time.

On the other hand, Felix was allergic to being late. When they went on patrols, if she wasn't there at the _exact_ time they had agreed on, Felix would have a fit and he would be grumpy the rest of the night.

As soon as his _majesty -_ supermodel had arrived, instead of making up for lost time, he immediately sauntered off to flirt with the female models that were getting ready. He had a devilish expression on his face and a wicked grin that she had _never_ seen on Felix.

At one point, Marinette had even begun to think that Felix was allergic to girls as well.

That was clearly not the issue with Adrien.

In fact, the photographers insistent nagging and loud sighs were the only way they managed to pry him away from the girls.

Standing off to the side, Marinette stood slack-jawed as she watched the model in his natural habitat. She had been invited to the photoshoot as an amateur fashion consultant, mostly to watch and take pointers, and maybe lend a hand if things got too hectic. Once she learned that Adrien Agreste would be the focus, she thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get to know him.

She wasn't sure what she had expected.

If she thought looking at his picture on a billboard left her flustered, it was nothing compared to what seeing him posing for the camera, shirtless, did to her.

He made it look so effortless, the way he moved and struck poses for the camera. His jaw would clench, and her eyes would be drawn to his face - his perfect bone structure, his nose, his eyes, his lips, - then he would lift an arm as the the photographer instructed and her eyes felt like they were glued onto the hard ridges of his stomach, and the veins that ran down his arms, and the muscles that jumped on his back. He looked like a work of art.

Then he would smile, and it felt like being blind-sighted by the sun. He would smile so often too, something that Felix never did, and she felt her heart beat a little faster every time he did.

Really it was no wonder he was so popular among the ladies.

Even when the cameras weren't focused on him, every eye in the room was drawn to him.

He was so social; during the breaks he would do rounds across the room, engaging in conversation with as many people as he could, and getting along with everyone.

He seemed to be the complete opposite of Felix.

Where Felix hated having his picture taken and was mostly low-profile, Adrien thrived under the camera lens and had his pictures strewn all over the city; where Felix disliked being surrounded by people and cared little to nothing about other's opinion of him, Adrien was a socialite who had an image to maintain; where Felix was serious and sophisticated, Adrien seemed more carefree.

Eyeing him from afar, Marinette could tell Adrien had no idea that Felix booked it out of Paris. She let out a sigh as she realized that Felix had left her to not only reveal the news to his very hormonal teenage brother, but to also have to deal with his reaction afterwards.

She silently sent out a curse to Felix wherever he was.

While she was caught up in her thoughts, she didn't notice the very subject of them was walking up to her until he was standing right in front of her face.

"I don't think we've met. I'm Adrien Agreste." _Boy_ , _don't I know it._

He held out a hand as he introduced himself and she tentatively held out her own to grab it. His hand was large and engulfed her own. She felt the warmth of it spread to her cheeks.

"Marinette Dupain - Cheng," She responded, "I'm an intern."

His eyebrows flew up at that, looking quite impressed.

"You seem younger than most interns here."

"I'm still in collège," she answered the implied question, "I only got this opportunity because I won one of your Father's fashion competitions."

In Marinette's opinion, it was really one of her best pieces. She had made a pair of gloves inspired by the ones worn by Chat Noir himself. They were of fine authentic black leather, embroidered with little green and blue gems, and even including an imitation of the heroes's claws. The gloves weren't at all practical, this time around her style had gone to high fashion for a change, something that her mentor had suggested she do. She had taken a good heap of money out of her savings to fund her project, but it had been worth it.

"That's pretty impressive," he said with a smile that made it seem like he really meant it, "So then that means you'll be at the launch party for the new fashion line tonight?"

She had been invited to that as well, but she was still on the fence as to whether to go or not. Now however, she considered it would be a good time as any to get to talk to Adrien more intimately... and reveal the news about his brother.

"I'll be there." She forced a weak smile in response to Adrien's.

"That's great. I'll see you there then," he said reaching out and squeezing her shoulder. What was up with the Agreste's and the squeezing of shoulders? It unnerved Marinette, especially when he added, "It was a pleasure talking to you, Marinette."

She only nodded in response, too tongue-tied to say anything as she watched him turn around and head back to the prepping room to get ready for the next session.

Tonight was sure to be something, alright.


	3. Rooftop Chats

Marinette took in her surroundings, from the carpeted floors to the high ceilings, as she settled into the elegant ambiance and felt grateful to the gut feeling she had to wear her (only) fancy red silk dress, which turned out to be perfectly suited for the occasion.

Even though her feet throbbed in the stiletto nightmares she had on her feet, she felt completely relaxed for what felt like the first time in months, sipping champagne and observing people interact from the corner of the room, forgetting for just a moment the very real (and very blonde) reason why she was at that party.

There was something about the fashion industry that transfixed Marinette, and she couldn't help but feel in awe as she watched models and fashion icons strut around the room, in pieces of clothing designed by some of her ultimate idols. She could stand there all day, admiring each one of their outfits and the way they were worn.

Her tranquility was interrupted however, when the doors to the salon were suddenly burst open and shouts drowned out the slow music playing. Flashes of cameras followed as she heard reiterated calls of, "Mr. Agreste!" before the man himself appeared at the entrance, only a couple of meters away from her.

Gabriel Agreste, for the first time in his entire career, seemed to have lost his composure. He looked flustered and angry as he argued heatedly with a woman Marinette assumed to be his secretary. They were speaking loudly enough that Marinette didn't have to inch closer to be able to hear what they were saying.

"- ordered you to find him _hours_ ago, how incompetent do you have to be to not be able to find a teenage boy?"

"Mr. Agreste, every officer in Paris is out looking for Felix but no one has been able to find him. We are doing everything possible."

And just like that, reality crashed down on Marinette. Dread settled in her stomach as she remembered her task for the night. She watched with a heavy heart as the secretary struggled to maintain control over the situation.

"Clearly you are not doing everything possible, since you are here and proving me of your inutility. Of all nights that I ask of you to not bother me and simply do your job, you choose the launch of my fashion line to disobey my orders."

"I am deeply sorry, Mr. Agreste -"

"If you do not find my son by tonight, you are fired."

Fixing his secretary with one last hard stare, Gabriel Agreste turned around and immediately locked gazes with Marinette. A shiver ran down her spine as she looked into his cold, hard eyes. They looked lifeless and pierced into her mind without mercy, showing absolutely no kindness nor grace in them; the gaze of a man who could watch someone die without blinking. He hesitated in his step and she averted her gaze quickly, turning her back abruptly as he seemed to turn direction towards her.

Her quick movement didn't give her time to realize there was a person behind her and she promptly crashed headfirst into a solid chest, causing her to spill all the contents of her glass down her own chest.

"Oh, _shit_!"

Two large hands flurried to keep her steady as she went backwards, grabbing onto her arms.

"I am so sorry, I wasn't expecting you turn around that quickly. I - Marinette?"

Marinette lifted her gaze from where she was looking down horrified at the mess she created to a pair of familiar electric green eyes.

"Marinette, right?" Adrien Agreste prompted again, inching forward and crowding further into her personal space.

"Yeah. Adrien, right?" Marinette regained a little bit of her composure when she saw his lips lift a little at the corners and she took a step back. His arms around her fell at his sides but one hand returned to the small of her back as he looked at something behind her shoulder.

"Let me take you somewhere to get cleaned up. Follow me." Marinette simply let herself be guided, feeling warmth radiate onto her skin by the hand on her back as her nerves jumped in her stomach.

Marinette felt eyes on them as he paraded them around the salon, briefly greeting people as they passed. She was slightly embarrassed with everyone scrutinizing her and felt relieved when they finally made it to a small private lounge that included a bathroom.

Adrien shut the door behind them and followed Marinette as she went to wash up. There was a silence between them as Marinette dabbed at her neck and chest with paper towels and Adrien watched silently from the doorway.

"That dress looks great on you. Red is really your color." His compliment made Marinette blush, and she saw him smile from the mirror as he spotted it. She cleared her throat to try to ease her nerves.

"Thanks. I designed and made the dress myself."

"Talented and beautiful. Anything else about you I should know?" She thought, _there are a lot of things you should know, starting with the fact that I was your missing superhero brother's partner._ Instead she offered:

"I'm a movie buff. I can quote any line from any movie there is." Both of his eyebrows arched up, and he nodded as if impressed.

"You had me at hello." The way he looked at her when he delivered the line made her blush again, and she could see him grin from the mirror.

"Jerry Maguire." She returned his grin and willed the blush away, "You think I wouldn't know? I didn't consider you to be a romantic."

Adrien shrugged his shoulders at her statement and grinned even wider.

"Every now and then. Truth is, watching a film takes the tension off after work. My profession is filled to the brim with unrealistic motherfuckers who thought their ass would age like wine."

Marinette couldn't contain the snort that slipped out.

"Okay, _Wallace_. Pulp Fiction. One of my favorites. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

"Casablanca. Classic. But I agree, Miss Dupain-Cheng. What else do you have for me?"

"Well, you've already been witness to how clumsy I am. It's gone from being considered a simple flaw to a handicap by now."

"It's not so bad. Because of it you got this amazing opportunity to be with me." The glint in his eyes told her he was joking but still, she silently agreed with him in her head.

"You should check that ego. It's getting pretty big."

"I've been told it's fine just the way it is."

"That person was either sucking up to you or lying right to your face." He chuckled at her reply and slipped out of the doorway back into the lounge. She stared at the space where his figure was previously reclining and let out a long breath. She didn't have the heart to tell him, and better yet, she didn't have a clue how.

She considered breaking the news to Adrien as Ladybug, but how would she explain Ladybug's connection to Felix Agreste? She was not going to trust a guy she just met with the biggest secret of their lives, even if he is her partner's brother.

Her train of thought was interrupted by Adrien as he popped back in the doorway, this time with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

"What do you say, we get out of here?"

"So, how do you know about this place?" Marinette broke the comfortable silence that had grown between them as she looked at the clear dark sky above her.

"My father always hosts his events here." Adrien nodded at the tall, elegant building across from them, where lights were flashing and the music from the party could still be heard even from this distance.

"Felix, my brother, never really liked them. He would sulk all night until father finally looked away from us, and he would sneak us out to climb up here to share a bottle." He reached over between them and refilled their empty glasses. "It was like a ritual."

Picking up his glass, he motioned for her to do the same, and the ring of their glasses clinking together echoed in the night.

" _Was_ a ritual?" Marinette inquired, taking a sip of hers.

"He doesn't come to these events anymore. He has other things to do, I suppose. I never really see him anymore." Marinette thought she saw a glimpse of sadness in his expression before he recovered and shot her a look.

"His loss. You're much better company." Marinette couldn't help the grin that stretched across her face.

"You don't seem to like these events much either. I'm starting to think you crashed into me on purpose as an excuse to run out of that salon."

"God, I hate them. When you have a father like mine, these things get even more tedious than they're supposed to be. Endless hours of kissing ass and listening to snobby people go on and on." He rolled his eyes as he spoke, his expression turning sour.

"You mean people like you?" Marinette couldn't help the quip and she laughed as his expression soured even more.

"You think I'm a snob? I'm the reason you're not in there! You should be kissing _my_ ass to thank me." Marinette internally responded, _I would gladly kiss your ass_. Instead, she visibly rolled her eyes.

"You got it all wrong. If anything, you should be kissing my clumsy ass." His eyes glinted as he looked at her intensely and her cheeks started heating up.

"Is that an offer?" He asked with amusement. Marinette cleared her throat to ignore the way her heart was beating rapidly in her chest and looked away from his eyes.

"I've already told you about myself, but I don't know anything about you. Tell me something." She avoided his dangerous question and changed the topic to a much safer one. He looked at her knowingly before replying.

"Anything you could ever know is already on the internet or the newspapers. What else could I tell you?"

"You know that's not true. That's all superficial. I want to know about _you_." Adrien's expression turned serious suddenly and he looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. His eyes softened, and his lips rose a little at the corners.

"Okay. Let's do this, you ask me questions and I'll answer them as honestly as I can." Marinette hummed as she thought about her first question.

"Alright, let's start with an easy one. Who do you like best, Ladybug or Chat Noir?" She grinned cheekily up at him and he smiled back, all teeth.

"Oh, ladybug all the way. Have you seen her ass?" Marinette's mouth fell open at his crass statement. She must have looked quite comical with her eyes wide as saucers and her red cheeks because he started chuckling lowly.

"What? I can't help it. She wears a bodysuit for Christ sakes." Marinette didn't know whether to feel offended or flattered. She knew that she didn't look hideous in her suit, but a little subtleness never hurt anyone. She couldn't believe he had the audacity to say that to her! Well, to be fair, he didn't exactly know he was talking about Marinette as well as ladybug.

"That's not the reason I like her best though. She's so strong. I can't imagine what it would be like dealing with what she goes through every day. She seems so young, yet she's so brave and kind. She risks her life every day for the lives of others. It's hard not to admire someone like that."

Marinette felt a lump in her throat that prevented her from swallowing. She felt her heart beating a thousand miles a minute as she soaked in every word he said. He spoke as if in awe of ladybug, as if he truly meant every word he said, and she felt it warming every inch of her body. She had a hard time pulling her eyes away from him, but she managed to get her mouth moving at least.

"Where would you live if you had the chance to pick?"

"I think I'd always stay in Paris. I love my city. I love the people and everything in it. I can't imagine my life without it. What about you?"

"I think I would like to try living in China. It's my mother's native country." He rose his eyebrows, looking impressed.

"I've been to China for a fashion show. It's a beautiful country." Marinette wondered how every time he smiled he made her heart stammer. She now understood how he had so many girls trailing after him.

"How many girlfriends have you had?" She blurted out, blushing slightly at how direct the question was.

"None." He answered, surprising Marinette, "The people I'm mostly surrounded with are models or my father's business partners. They aren't exactly the best crowd to be involved with. They're selfish and always looking for opportunities to get famous. The few girls I've tried to get involved with always ended up wanting something _from_ me, not _me_."

The more she heard about his life, the harder and less glamorous it started to seem.

"What about you?" He asked her, glancing at her briefly, "Someone like you must have a boyfriend."

"No, I don't." She laughed slightly at the notion and she thought she saw him exhale slightly as if in relief. "Well, I thought I was in love with someone for a long time, so it wouldn't have worked out with anybody else."

He looked curious as he asked, "You weren't in love with him?"

"No, I just misinterpreted my feelings. I do love him, just not as the kind of partner I want to spend my entire life with."

Adrien nodded his head in understanding.

"What about favorite movie?" She asked.

"Gone with the Wind." He replied after a moment, looking away from her teasing grin.

"I knew you were a romantic." She teased. He gave a small smile and looked at the city splayed before them.

"Some of my earliest memories include watching that movie. My mom loved it. She would sing along to the songs in the movie, despite them being in english."

Marinette perked up at the mention of his mother. Felix rarely talked about her, as it was a touchy subject, and listening to Adrien talk so openly about her felt strange.

"She had an amazing voice." Adrien said, as if remembering. He had a faraway look in his eyes. There was a small silence as Marinette gathered up the courage to ask the question that had been so taboo between her and Felix.

"Adrien, what happened to your mom?" Marinette questioned softly. He turned to look at her with an impassive expression.

"She passed away when I was a child."

Marinette fell silent. Adrien looked so different to the model on magazine covers and billboards right then, with his shoulder slumped as if they held the weight of the world on them.

"I was about three years old. Felix was six, almost seven. He took it a lot harder than I did."

There was a brief silence before she said, "I'm sorry for your loss, Adrien."

"That's alright. It wasn't your fault." He stated, offering her a smile to lighten the mood. Marinette, however, started to feel guilty. Adrien was being so open with her, while she still hadn't told him that his brother had left the city.

"Adrien, I have to tell you something." She started nervously. He looked at her patiently and she felt her stomach churn at what she was about to say.

"Meeting you wasn't exactly a coincidence." He looked at her questioningly. She didnt know how to approach the subject.

"Your brother's disappearance, why he hasn't been found yet -" She cut herself off as he furrowed his eyebrows. She started over. "Felix was my friend."

"My brother Felix?" He said, surprised. "Are you sure we're talking about the same one? Felix doesn't have any friends."

"Well, he has one. I've actually been his friend for a long time now." She stated.

"How come I've never seen you around before?"

"We weren't like that. He was very reserved about his family." He stared silently at her, waiting for her to go on.

"About a week ago, he came to me one night and told me that he was leaving the city. He didn't say when, but he told me he didn't want his family to know until he left. He was afraid your father would try to stop him."

Adrien shook his head. "That can't be true. Why would he leave?"

Marinette pondered whether to tell Adrien the truth about what Felix was doing and who he was really looking for. Did Felix want Adrien to know about everything?

"He didn't tell me. He just said it was really important."

Marinette chose to not tell Adrien about Felix and his mother. She didn't understand what was going on exactly, and Adrien had told her his mother had died. She didn't want to upset him even more.

"Look, Marinette, I don't know how well you know my brother, but he disappears all the time. He wouldn't just leave Paris, not without saying goodbye at least." Adrien started getting a little flustered, and he started fidgeting.

"Adrien, all I know is that he was really focused on what he wanted to do. He looked convinced that he had to do it. He wouldn't lie to me." Adrien looked at her incredulously. He let out a breath.

"I don't know about you and my brother, but I know that he wouldn't leave me here. He wouldn't." Adrien said firmly, looking angry as he started clenching his fists. Marinette sat up a little straighter, trying to calm him down.

"Adrien I'm telling you this because I care about you -"

"What do you mean you care about me? You just met me!" He stood up abruptly, looking down at her angrily. "You don't know anything about me."

"That's not what I meant. I just -"

"I don't need this bullsh*t." Adrien interrupted her for a second time as he started to head towards the door that led off the rooftop. Marinette scrambled to get on her feet and shouted after him.

"Adrien! Will you listen to me for just a second?" Adrien stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. His lips were pressed together and he looked a second away from bolting.

"I cared about your brother a lot. I still do. It broke my heart to pieces when he told me that he was leaving. I wouldn't have let him go if it weren't for the fact that he needed to desperately." She tried to transmit sincerity through her eyes, hoping to be able to reach him.

"That night, he said that he needed to do this for his family. He told me that his family was the most important thing in the world for him, and that it was his responsibility to take care of you.

He wanted me to find you and tell you myself because he loves you more than anything, and he wanted you to hear it from someone that feels the same way as you do right now." She spoke softly, taking one step closer to him. "I miss him too. He's doing this for you, Adrien."

The slam of the roof door echoed through the night and Marinette felt her eyes dampen as she stood on the roof alone.


End file.
